Fan



Aug. 31 1926. 1,597,751

c. AAL'BORG FAN Filed August 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR U/m'sf/mlye/bag- BY ATTORNEY I Aug. 31 1926..

C. AALBQRG FAN Filed August 9, 1924. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i INVENTORChris/[m fia/fio ITNESSES:

'3' BY v TTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

P rem" FFICE.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC 6: MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

Application filed August 9, 1924, Serial No. 731,103.

This invention relates to fans, and, more particularly, to ceiling fansof the gyratory type.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is the provision of aceiling fan that shall be simple and eflicient in operation and readilyand economically manufactured.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide for the giving toa fan a gymtory-motion as it rotates in order to diffuse the currents ofair.

It is also an object of the invention to provide for the moving of agyratory fan in different paths to control the direction in which thecurrents of air are delivered.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and, in part,appear hereinafter.

This invention, accordingly, is disclosed in the embodiment thereofshown in the ac oompanying drawings and comprises the features ofconstruction, the combination of elements and the arran ement of partswhich will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth andthe scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the objects of the invention, referenceshould be had to the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevationof a fan embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the fan, parts being broken away to showthe details of its construction; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing featuresof construction.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 designates generally a fan motor of anywell known type adapted for utilization in fan construction. As shown,the motor is pror vided with an armature shaft 17 that extends beyondthe casing to present an end for thereception of a fan wheel 18. Inmounting the fan wheel on the shaft 17, any suitable means, such forexample, as a set screw, may be utilized to fix it in position.

Aswill be observed, the fan motor 10 is suspended from an overheadsupport by means' of a hanger 12 and a universal-joint connection ormounting, both of which will now be described.

In order to facilitate the mounting of the fan, the hanger 12 is made insections. Accordingly, a hook 18, adapted to engage an overhead support,and a tubular member 15,;

constructed to receive the universal-joint connection, are provided. Itwillbe noted that a coupling 11 is disposed on the upper end of'thetubular member 15 so that the latter may be suspended from the hook atwill. v

Since, in mounting fans, it is desirableto give the whole structure apleasing appearance, a canopy 16 isprovided' to'enclose the hook andcoupling. canopy and the tubular member constitute a conduit throughwhich a conductor cord may be led to the motor. In this particularconstructiomthe tubular member is provided with an opening near itslower end through which the conductor cord 43 extends.

The universal-joint mounting already referred to is provided to suspendthe motor from the hanger in such manner that the motor shaft may beoscillated indifferent planes to give the fan wheel a gyratory movement.

As will be observed, the universal join includes a yoke 19 and a ring 22pivotally mounted between the arms of the yoke. In order to suspend themembers 19 and 22 from the hanger, a collar 20, adapted to receive thelower threaded end of the tubular member 15, is formed integral with,and centrally disposed on, the yoke. It will be apparent that the collarmay be fixed in any desired position on the tubular member by a setscrew 21 Or similar device.

The mounting of the ring 22 may be accomplished in various ways. In thisparticular construction, set screws 23, having ends 2 1 without threads,are mounted in the arms of the yoke and disposed so that the endsproject into bearing recesses formed in As is apparent, the,

cillates. In mounting the motor, set screws 25, having pins formedintegral therewith, are disposed in the ring so that the pins engageinbearings formed in the motor casing. Set screws, such as 23 and 25,facilitate the assembly of the fan but they may be displaced by thecontinuous operation of the fan. Accordingly, it is advisable to providesome means for locking them in position, such as set screws 25 WVhen thefan is adapted for suspension from an overhead support, in order to givethe motor shaft an oscillatory movement in different planes, to effectagyratory move-' ment of the fan wheel, a rotatably mounted arm 27 isprovided to retain the shaft inclined to a vertical'line extendingthrough the intersection of the axes'of the universal-j oint mounting.

The arm 27 is rotatably mounted on a short shaft 26 suspended from theyoke 19 with its axis coincident with a vertical linemeeting axes of theuniversal-joint members at their intersections. In order to suspend theshaft 26 from the yoke, an opening is drilled through the latter inalignment with the collar 20, and of smaller diameter, thus forming ashoulder inside, and at the base of, the collar. i

As shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 26 is provided with a head small enough tofit into the collar, but larger than the opening through the yoke.Therefore, when 'the' shaft 26 is projected through the opening in theyoke, the head of the shaft seats on the shoulder formed at the base ofthe collar 20.

The arm. 27 is provided with a hub 28,

I large enough to fit loosely on the shaft 26.

In order to retain the hub in'position on the shaft, the latter has acircumferential groove 29 formed therein for the reception of an end 30of a set screw 31 mounted in a threaded opening provided in the hub 28.

In order to effect oscillation of the armature shaft in differentplanes, a mechanism actuated by the motor is provided. As

shown in Fig. 2, this mechanism includes a casing 33, provided with atubular portion 34 so disposed on the motor casing so that it extends inthe latter to constitute a bearing for the armature shaft 17.

A stub shaft 35 is rotatably mounted in a bearing provided in the outerend of the casing 33 and located in alignment with the shaft 17. It willbe noted that the shaft 35 has an opening formed in its inner end forthe reception of one end ofa worm 36,

which is directly connected to the armature shaft.

The connection between the worm and the armatureshaft may be effected inany suitable manner but,asshown, one member is provided with a tongueand the other with,

a slot shaped to receive. the tongue. As will be observed, the worm'isretained centrally the motor brushes. ductors 13, connected of supply,are led into the motor casing as positioned in the shaft opening bymeans of a bearing formed on its outer end and adapted to fit in abearing provided in the shaft.

As shown in Fig. 3, the worm 36 meshes with a worm wheel 37, fixed to ashaft 38,

'rotatably mounted in a bearing formed in a block 39, carried by thestub shaft 35. The

block 39 may be attached to the stub shaft 35 in any suitable manner.

38, a pinion 41 is attached to its outer end. It will be observed thatthis pinion is provided with helical teeth adapted to mesh with a ringgear 42, carried by the casing 33, as shown in Fig. 2. The ring gear 42is provided with helical teeth for the reception of the teeth of thepinion 41. Thus, a train of gears is provided connecting the armatureshaft 17 to the stub shaft 35, and the gears may be proportioned to giveany desired reduction in speed.

- The outer end of the stub shaft 35 is bifurcated to receive any one ofa plurality of pins 32 carried by the arm 27 to prevent rotation of theshaft. By reason of the provision of a plurality of pins 32 the motorshaft may be inclined at the axis of the shaft 26.

Since the motor casing does not rotate, the conductors 43 may beconnected directly to Consequently the conto any suitable sourcedifferent angles to shown in Fig. 2. However, to prevent annoyance fro-mthe swinging of the conductor cord as the motor oscillates, they may bebe connected to one side of the yoke 19. Free movement of the motor, ispermitted by winding the conductor cord in the form of a spiral 4E5.

In operation, when the motor circuit is closed, the motor is energizedand the arma ture shaft 17 rotated. This effects the operation of thescrew 36, worm wheel 37, shaft 38 and pinion 4-1, which is in mesh withthe ring gear 42. Accordingly, the pinion 41 travels around the ringgear 42 and, since the motor cannot rotate about the axis of the shaft26, the stub' shaft 35 is urged to rotate. Rotation of the stub shaft 35is impossible because of its connection to the arm 27. It would seem,from the above, that the motor would be brought to a stop, since,apparently, through the train of gears, the shaft 17 is held againstrotation. However,

the arm '27 is rotatably mounted, and when shaft26; This permits therotation of the stub shaft 35 in the casing 33. As the arm 27 rot-ates,it oscillates the armature shaft 17 in difierent planes, thereby givingthe fan wheel 18 a gyratory motion.

When it is desired to change the gyratory path of the fan wheel 18, theinclination of the shaft 17 to the axis of the shaft 26 is varied byeffecting engagement of the slot in the end of stub shaft 35 withanother pin 32 of the arm 27. In this manner, the air currents may bediffused, as desired.

I would state, in conclusion, that, while the illustrated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limitmyself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, sincemodifications of the same can be considerably varied without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A gyratory fan comprising, in combination, a, fan motor provided witha drive shaft, a plurality of fan blades carried by the drive shaft, ahanger to carry the fan motor, a universal-joint connection adapted tosuspend the motor from the the hanger, an arm rotatably mounted on thehanger, an auxiliary shaft rotatably mounted in the motor, saidauxiliary shaft being connected to the rotatable arm to incline thedrive shaft to the axis of the hanger, said connection serving toprevent the rotation of the auxiliary shaft about its own axis and adriving connection between said shafts whereby the auxiliary shaft isrotated in the motor and the arm about the axis of the hanger.

2. A fan comprising in combination, a fan motor provided with a driveshaft, a fan wheel carried by the shaft, a hanger to carry said motor, auniversal-joint connection adapted to suspend the motor from the hanger,an arm rotatably mounted on the hanger, an auxiliary shaft rotatablymounted in the motor, said auxiliary shaft being connected to the arm toincline the motor shaft at an angle to the axis of rotation of the armand operatively connected to the main shaft, whereby said auxiliaryshaft is caused to rotate in the motor and to swing about the axis ofsaid arm when the fan motor is in operation, thereby to give the fanblades a gyratory movement.

A fan comprising, in combination, a fan motor provided with a driveshaft, a plurality of fan blades carried by the shaft, a hanger to carrysaid motor, a universal-joint connection adapted to suspend the motorfrom the hanger, an arm rotatably mounted 011 the hanger, an auxiliaryshaft rotatably disposed in the motor and adjustably connected to thearm, said connection being adapted to prevent the rotation of theauxiliary shaft relative to the arm, and means operable by the motor torotate the auxiliary shaft relative to the motor, thereby to effectrotation of the arm and movement of the motor shaft in different planes.

4.. In a gyratory fan, in combination, a fan motor disposed in auniversal mounting, said motor being provided with an armature shaft, afan wheel attached to one end of the armature shaft, an auxiliary shaftrotatably disposed in alinement with the armature shaft, motor-actuatedmeans tending to rotate the auxiliary shaft, and a rotatably mounted armadapted to prevent the rotation of the auxiliary shaft, thereby toeffect the rotation of the arm to move the armature shaft in differentplanes.

5. In a gyratory fan, in combination, a fan motor disposed in auniversal mounting, said motor being provided with an armature shaft, afan wheel attached to one end. of the armature shaft, an auxiliary shaftrotatably disposed in alinement with the armature shaft, motor-actuatedmeans tending to rotate the auxiliary shaft, and a rotatably mounted armadapted toprevent the rotation of the auxiliary shaft, thereby to effectthe rotation of the arm to cause the armature shaft to gyrate indifferent planes, said arm being adjustably connected to the auxiliaryshaft to permit the variation of the amplitude of gyration of thearmature shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day ofAugust,

CHRISTIAN AALBORG.

